Air-craft.



J. W. WOLFE.

AIR CRAFT. 1121 110111011 111.1111 MAY 13,1911.

.10145276. I V Patented'J21n.9,1912.

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5 r a I 4 5 7277170 f INVZHVTOR J. w. WOLFE.

AIR CRAFT. APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1911.

I Patented Jan.9, 1912.

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'IWITNESSES' I I [NVLYVTOR 56% g A/lormy UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WQ-WOLFE, OF SHENANDOAH, IOWA.

AIR-CRAFT.

Application filed May 13, 1911.

To all whom it may concem:

Be it known that 1, JOHN W. WOLFE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Shenandoah, in the county of Page and State of Iowa, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Air-Craft, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being had therein to theaccompanying drawing.

This invention relates to flying machines of the self propelled heavierthan air type, and the principal object of the same is to provide novelsustaining means .atherefor which are at all times under the control ofthe aviator and which can be readily manipulated to cause the machine toascend or descend.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in theaccompanying drawings wherein- Figure 1 is a top plan View of theimproved flying machine. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view takenon the line 22,Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken onthe line 33, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail fragmentary sectional view ofone of the pistons showing one of the valves carried thereby. Fig. 5 isa fragmentary view in elevation of the controlling levers.

The improved air ship comprises a supporting frame including theparallel base members 5 that are connected by the end bars 6 and whichcarry the central and end standards 7 and 8, respectively, and also theoutwardly inclined brace bars 10 at the ends. The oppositely disposedstandards 7 and 8 are connected at their upper ends by the bars 10 andthe similarly disposed braces 10 are connected attheir upper ends by thebars 11. The bars 9 and 11 carry the intermediate and end cylinders 12and 12 the end cylinders being of the same diameter and the intermediatecylinder being of larger diameter than the said end cylinders. Bars 9project well beyond the sides of the frame, and their outer end portionshave brace connections 13 with the base of said frame.

The standards 7 and 8 and end braces 10 carry upper frame members 14that are parallel with the base members 5 and through which the guides15 of the pistons 16 of the cylinders 12 and 12 are slidable. Rods15 arealso slidable through bars 17 that extend across the upper ends of thecylinders 1.2 and 12 springs 18 being coiled Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Jan. 9,1912.

Serial No. 626,934.

about the upper and lower portions of rods 15 and bearing against thepistons 16 and the members 14 and bars 17, respectively, and yieldablyoppose reciprocatory movements of said pistons. The pistons 16 areprovided with circular rows of openings 19 through which the valves 20are slidable. Valves 20 are equipped with ribs 21 that space them fromthe edges of the openings 19 and also provided with overhanging flanges22 at their ends. Springs 23 are carried by the pistons 16 and engagethe valves 20 to yieldably oppose movements of the same.

A motor 24 is carried by the base of the supporting frame and has a gearconnection 25 with a power shaft 26 that is equipped with friction gears27 and 28 at its ends. Gear 27 is in mesh with a friction gear 29carried by a vertically arranged transmission shaft 30. Gear 29 isslidable on shaft 30 and its hub is engaged by a shifting arm 31 that ispivotally connected to a handlever 32 mounted on a shaft 33. Lever 32 isequipped with a hand operated pawl 34 for engaging a rack 35 to locksaid lever in the desired position. Obviously, by manipulating lever32,- gear 29 will be adjusted relative to the center of gear 27 andthereby regulate the speed and direction of rotation of shaft 30.

The upper end of shaft 30 carries a beveled gear 36 that is in mesh witha similar gear 37 carried by a drive shaft 38 that is journaled in theupper cross bars of the frame and which. is provided with end cranks 39and an intermediate crank 40*. The end cranks 39 have link connections41 with the piston rods 42 of the pistons 16 of the end cylinders 12*,and the intermediate crank 40 has a link connection 43 with the pistonrod 44 of the piston 16 of the central cylinder 12. The intermediatecrank 40 projects in an opposite direction to the end cranks 39 so thatthe central piston operates opposite to the end pistons. Gear 28 is inengagement with a friction gear 45 slidable on a vertical transmissionshaft 46. Shaft 46 carries a beveled gear 47 at its upper end that is inmesh with a similar gear 48 carried by the inner end of the propellershaft 49. A propeller 50 is carried by shaft 49. A shifting lever 51engages the hub of gear 45, said lever having a connection 52 with ahand lever 53 mounted on shaft 33. Lever 53 carries a hand operated pawl54 that engages a rack 55 to hold said lever in the desired position. Aswill be obvious, by manipulating lever 53, gear will be adjustedrelative to the center of gear 28 thereby controlling the speed anddirection of rotation of shaft 46. A rudder shaft 56 is verticallyjournaled in the forward portion of the supporting frame and carries therudder 57. Shaft 56 carries a laterally projecting crank arm 58 that hasa link connection 59 wit-h a hand lever 60 mounted on shaft 33. Lever 60is manipulated to operate the rudder 57 and carries a hand operated pawl61 for engaging a rack 62 to prevent accidental movement of said lever.

It will be understood from the foregoing that the motor 24 drives thepropeller50, the speed and direction of rotation of said propeller beinggoverned by the position of gear 45 relative to the center of gear 28,and that said motor imparts reciprocatory movements to the pistons 16 ofcylinders 12 and 12*, the speed and direction of movement of saidpistons being governed by the posit-ion of gear 29 relative to thecenter of gear 27. With this type of power it will be clear that themotive power of the machine can be controlled by the aviator bymanipulating the hand levers 32 and 53, and that the rudder 57 can alsobe controlled by the aviator through the hand lever 60.

As has been explained, the intermediate piston operates in alternationwith the end pistons, and said intermediate piston is preferably of adiameter equal to the combined diameters of the two end pistons. By thisarrangement there is a constant lifting pressure being exerted thattends to maintain an even balance of the machine. Obviously the valves20 open on the upstrokes of the pistons to reduce the opposition of theair to such stroke, and close on the downstrokes to prevent air passingthrough said pistons.

What I claim as my invention is l. A flying machine comprising a frame,

sustaining means therefor includingend cylinders and an intermediatecylinder, said cylinders being vertically arranged and disposed inalinement longitudinally of said frame, the intermediate cylinderequaling in area the combined areas of the end cylinders, pistons insaid cylinders, said pistons being provided with means for permittingair to pass through the same on their upstrokes and to prevent suchpassage of air on their downstrokes, and means for reciprocating theintermediate piston in alternation to the end pistons.

2. A flying machine comprising a frame, a longitudinal row of verticalcylinders carried thereby, pistons in said cylinder, said pistons beingprovided with openings, valves slidable in said openings and providedwith ribs for spacing the same from the edges of said openings, saidvalves being provided with flanged ends that overlap said openings,springs carried by said pistons and engaging said valves, and means forreciprocating said pistons.

3. A flying machine comprising a frame sustaining means, thereforincluding vertical end and intermediate cylinders, the intermediatecylinder equaling in diameter the combined diameters of the endcylinders and pistons in said cylinders provided with means forpermitting air to pass through on their upstrokes and to prevent suchpassage of air on their down strokes.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

' JOHN W. WOLFE. Witnesses:

J. A. CHENEY, OLIVER SHAFFER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of I'atents,

- Washington, D. G.

